For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Galatians 5:14
Is it a coincidence that Paul’s quotation from the law takes seven words to recite? I don’t think so. Seven in the Scriptures always indicates perfection, or completeness. And in these seven words, Paul tells us in our text, are combined all the fulfilling of the law. Every one of these words is critical, as we shall see.
The word ‘thou‘ is singular, unlike ‘you’, which could be singular or plural. That’s important, because loving our neighbour as ourselves is not a group response or a community attitude, it is a personal responsibility. Look in your mirror; the person you see there is the one who is to love your neighbour as yourself.
The word ‘shalt‘ indicates that loving our neighbour is not an option, but an imperative. Failing to love our neighbour is disobedience to God and a failure to walk in the footsteps of our great Example, the Lord Jesus.
Oh how incapable we are to define the next word, ‘love‘! Perhaps we can call it a deep, compassionate caring that goes beyond just an attitude of heart but includes an outpouring of actions that display the love. If we love as the Lord Jesus loves, we will meet this requirement.
Whose neighbour do we love? The word ‘thy‘ is singular, as is the word ‘thou’, which we have already discussed. It’s not society’s neighbour, or the neighbourhood’s neighbour, but my neighbour, the person who God has brought me into contact with, who I must love.
The word ‘neighbour‘ reminds us of Jesus’ response to a lawyer’s question: ‘Who is my neighbour?’ (Luke 10:25-37) In his great parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus reminds us that our neighbour is whoever we encounter who has a need that we are capable of meeting. It does include the person who lives next door, but it goes far beyond that narrow definition.
The word ‘as‘ may be small, but there is nothing small in its meaning. It indicates equality. The love I am to have and show to my neighbour is to be the same as the care for my own needs and concerns. For example, I am to shed as many tears for my neighbours losses and sorrows as for my own.
In the last word, ‘thyself‘, we return to individual responsibility, because this word is also singular. This word reminds us that we are not more important than those around us, which might come as a shock to the world that is becoming more self-centred and selfish. Loving our neighbour as ourselves means banishing selfishness from our lives.
Do you have joy in your soul? There is an acrostic for the word ‘joy’ that nicely fits the spirit of our text: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. Loving my neighbour will bring me joy. – Jim MacIntosh